Scorer Prince Kajore
* Surprisingly, ESCOM United finished that league season in second place (W15 D13 L0)
* While at W18 D10 L0 before the match yesterday, Silver Strikers had won the title with two games in hand
By Duncan Mlanjira
The penultimate match of the TNM Super League 2024 between FOMO FC and Silver Strikers was two fold as FOMO are focused to escape relegation while the confirmed champions eyed to keep their 28-game unbeaten run.
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After the hosts had troubled the Bankers throughout the first half, coach Peter Mponda changed tactics by bringing his usual winning combination — Stainie Davie, Uchizi Vunga, McDonald Lameck and Misheck Seleman and taking out Chikondi Kamanga, Patrick Macheso, Emmanuel Muira and Chinsisi Maonga.
The changes brought rhythm in the second half as the team started piling more pressure on the Mulanje Park hosts and 10 minutes later, Mponda brought matchmaker Chimwemwe Idana for Levison Maganizo.
But 6 minutes to full time, FOMO won a throw in that was played into the box and found Prince Kajore, who slammed the ball into the net and jealousy guarded the lead as they were inspired to by the home fans.
Silver were accorded a guard of honour by the hosts as they filed into the pitch with a mission to maintain the unbeaten record to the finish line — but FOMO stopped the Bankers from equaling such a record that was set in 2009/10 season by the defunct ESCOM United (W15 D13 L0).
Surprisingly, ESCOM United finished that league season in second place while at W18 D10 L0 before the match yesterday, Silver Strikers had won the title with two games in hand — now remain with Dedza Dynamos on Saturday at their home, Silver Stadium.
As for 13th-placed FOMO with 28 points, they need to beat 6th-placed Karonga United to be played at home, Mulanje Park on Saturday as they are trailed by Bangwe All Stars (27 points) and Chitipa United (26).
At the same time, FOMO will be praying that 7th-placed Creck Sporting Club will beat Bangwe All Stars at Balaka Stadium and relegated Baka City to beat Chitipa United at Karonga Stadium.
Creck Sporting, who drew 1-1 with Mighty Wanderers yesterday in Mchinji, are focusing on being in the top eight to qualify for the Airtel Top 8 2025 as behind that are two other teams they share 39 points with — Moyale (8th) and MAFCO (9th).
Moyale date 2nd-placed Mighty Wanderers at their home, Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday while MAFCO are up against 4th-placed Mzuzu City Hammers at Nankhaka.
On 10th place with 37 are Kamuzu Barracks who are traveling to Blantyre to face 3rd-placed Nyasa Big Bullets. If the People’s Team win the match and the Nomads lose to Moyale, they will tie on 55 points but Wanderers will maintain their second spot due to goal difference.
The Nomads have so far scored 55 goals and conceded 18, making a goal difference of 37 while the Bullets scored 41 and conceded 20 — a goal difference of 21.
Following their loss yesterday, coach Mponda said it was a painful but urged his charges to wake up and engage an extra gear for the last match against Dedza Dynamos at Silver Stadium.
“A bad day for us as we were so flat this afternoon,” he is quoted as saying by Silver Strikers Media. It’s a painful loss as the boys didn’t play the way we are used to play.
“It was an off-day for us but that happens in football and congratulations to FOMO for the win,” said Mponda, who made four changes to the side that won on Saturday beating Mighty Wanderers 1-0 to clinch the title.
He rested Uchizi Vunga, McDonald Lameck, Misheck Seleman and goalkeeper George Chikooka, who has won the Golden Glove for keeping 18 clean sheets.
Meanwhile, after clinching the TNM Super League title for the first time in 11 years, Mponda conceded that the Nomads gave them some pressure in the final paces of the fight for title.
“To be honest, Wanderers gave us some pressure [than defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets],” he said. “For this season, Bullets did not deliver of what everyone knows about them.
“I mean, Bullets always come from behind and win the title but not this time around. It was only Wanderers that gave us a little bit of pressure but my players’ consistency is what has helped us a lot to win the title.”
Coach Mponda
This was Mponda’s first stint with Silver Strikers and he expressed his gratitude to his players, fans and the club administrators on their “brilliant effort to win the title”.
“I should also give an appreciation to the fans and administrators, who fought very hard for my presence to the club and I know they have been rewarded.”
List of all winners of the Super League since 1986:
🏆1986 – Big Bullets
🏆1987 – Civo United
🏆1988 – MDC United
🏆1989 – Tigers FC
🏆1990 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆1991 – Big Bullets
🏆1992 – Big Bullets
🏆1993 – Silver Strikers
🏆1994 – Silver Strikers
🏆1995 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆1995/1996 – Silver Strikers
🏆1996/1997 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆1997/1998 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆1998/1999 – Big Bullets
🏆1999/2000 – Big Bullets
🏆2000/2001 – Big Bullets
🏆2001/2002 – Big Bullets
🏆2002/2003 – Big Bullets
🏆2004 – Big Bullets
🏆2005/2006 – Big Bullets
🏆2006 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆2007 – ESCOM United
🏆2008 – Silver Strikers
🏆2009/2010 – Silver Strikers
🏆2010/2011 – ESCOM United
🏆2011/2012 – Silver Strikers
🏆2012/2013 – Silver Strikers
🏆2013/2014 – Silver Strikers
🏆2014 – Big Bullets
🏆2015 – Big Bullets
🏆2016 – Kamuzu Barracks
🏆2017 – Mighty Wanderers
🏆2018 – Nyasa Big Bullets
🏆2019 – Nyasa Big Bullets
🏆2020/2021 – Nyasa Big Bullets
🏆2022 – FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
🏆2023 – FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
🏆2024 – Silver Strikers—Additional reporting by McDonald Dawala, correspondent
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